按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
cling to the steel； but his fingers slipped on the polished surface；
like his words on the heart； and the gracious face； the gracious
words； the gracious bearing of the duchess hid the steel of her wrath；
now fallen to twenty…five below zero； from all observers。 The
appearance of Modeste in her sublime beauty； and dressed as well as
Diane de Maufrigneuse herself； had fired the train of gunpowder which
reflection had been laying in Eleonore's mind。
All the women had gone to the windows to see the new wonder get out of
the royal carriage； attended by her three suitors。
〃Do not let us seem so curious；〃 Madame de Chaulieu had said； cut to
the heart by Diane's exclamation；〃She is divine！ where in the world
does she come from？〃and with that the bevy flew back to their seats；
resuming their composure； though Eleonore's heart was full of hungry
vipers all clamorous for a meal。
Mademoiselle d'Herouville said in a low voice and with much meaning to
the Duchesse de Verneuil； 〃Eleonore receives her Melchior very
ungraciously。〃
〃The Duchesse de Maufrigneuse thinks there is a coolness between
them；〃 said Laure de Verneuil； with simplicity。
Charming phrase！ so often used in the world of society；how the north
wind blows through it。
〃Why so？〃 asked Modeste of the pretty young girl who had lately left
the Sacre…Coeur。
〃The great poet；〃 said the pious duchessmaking a sign to her
daughter to be silent〃left Madame de Chaulieu without a letter for
more than two weeks after he went to Havre； having told her that he
went there for his health〃
Modeste made a hasty movement； which caught the attention of Laure；
Helene； and Mademoiselle d'Herouville。
〃and during that time；〃 continued the devout duchess； 〃she was
endeavoring to have him appointed commander of the Legion of honor；
and minister at Baden。〃
〃Oh； that was shameful in Canalis； he owes everything to her；〃
exclaimed Mademoiselle d'Herouville。
〃Why did not Madame de Chaulieu come to Havre？〃 asked Modeste of
Helene； innocently。
〃My dear；〃 said the Duchesse de Verneuil； 〃she would let herself be
cut in little pieces without saying a word。 Look at her；she is
regal； her head would smile； like Mary Stuart's； after it was cut off；
in fact； she has some of that blood in her veins。〃
〃Did she not write to him？〃 asked Modeste。
〃Diane tells me；〃 answered the duchess； prompted by a nudge from
Mademoiselle d'Herouville； 〃that in answer to Canalis's first letter
she made a cutting reply a few days ago。〃
This explanation made Modeste blush with shame for the man before her；
she longed； not to crush him under her feet； but to revenge herself by
one of those malicious acts that are sharper than a dagger's thrust。
She looked haughtily at the Duchesse de Chaulieu
〃Monsieur Melchior！〃 she said。
All the women snuffed the air and looked alternately at the duchess；
who was talking in an undertone to Canalis over the embroidery…frame；
and then at the young girl so ill brought up as to disturb a lovers'
meeting；a think not permissible in any society。 Diane de
Maufrigneuse nodded； however； as much as to say； 〃The child is in the
right of it。〃 All the women ended by smiling at each other； they were
enraged with a woman who was fifty…six years old and still handsome
enough to put her fingers into the treasury and steal the dues of
youth。 Melchior looked at Modeste with feverish impatience； and made
the gesture of a master to a valet； while the duchess lowered her head
with the movement of a lioness disturbed at a meal； her eyes； fastened
on the canvas； emitted red flames in the direction of the poet； which
stabbed like epigrams； for each word revealed to her a triple insult。
〃Monsieur Melchior！〃 said Modeste again in a voice that asserted its
right to be heard。
〃What； mademoiselle？〃 demanded the poet。
Forced to rise； he remained standing half…way between the embroidery
frame； which was near a window； and the fireplace where Modeste was
seated with the Duchesse de Verneuil on a sofa。 What bitter
reflections came into his ambitious mind； as he caught a glance from
Eleonore。 If he obeyed Modeste all was over； and forever； between
himself and his protectress。 Not to obey her was to avow his slavery；
to lose the chances of his twenty…five days of base manoeuvring； and
to disregard the plainest laws of decency and civility。 The greater
the folly； the more imperatively the duchess exacted it。 Modeste's
beauty and money thus pitted against Eleonore's rights and influence
made this hesitation between the man and his honor as terrible to
witness as the peril of a matador in the arena。 A man seldom feels
such palpitations as those which now came near causing Canalis an
aneurism； except； perhaps； before the green table； where his fortune
or his ruin is about to be decided。
〃Mademoiselle d'Herouville hurried me from the carriage； and I left
behind me；〃 said Modeste to Canalis； 〃my handkerchief〃
Canalis shrugged his shoulders significantly。
〃And；〃 continued Modeste； taking no notice of his gesture； 〃I had tied
into one corner of it the key of a desk which contains the fragment of
an important letter； have the kindness； Monsieur Melchior； to get it
for me。〃
Between an angel and a tiger equally enraged Canalis； who had turned
livid； no longer hesitated；the tiger seemed to him the least
dangerous of the two； and he was about to do as he was told； and
commit himself irretrievably； when La Briere appeared at the door of
the salon； seeming to his anguished mind like the archangel Gabriel
tumbling from heaven。
〃Ernest； here； Mademoiselle de La Bastie wants you；〃 said the poet；
hastily returning to his chair by the embroidery frame。
Ernest rushed to Modeste without bowing to any one； he saw only her；
took his commission with undisguised joy； and darted from the room；
with the secret approbation of every woman present。
〃What an occupation for a poet！〃 said Modeste to Helene d'Herouville；
glancing toward the embroidery at which the duchess was now working
savagely。
〃If you speak to her； if you ever look at her； all is over between
us；〃 said the duchess to the poet in a low voice； not at all satisfied
with the very doubtful termination which Ernest's arrival had put to
the scene； 〃and remember； if I am not present； I leave behind me eyes
that will watch you。〃
So saying； the duchess； a woman of medium height； but a little too
stout； like all women over fifty who retain their beauty； rose and
walked toward the group which surrounded Diane de Maufrigneuse；
stepping daintily on little feet that were as slender and nervous as a
deer's。 Beneath her plumpness could be seen the exquisite delicacy of
such women； which comes from the vigor of their nervous systems
controlling and vitalizing the development of flesh。 There is no other
way to explain the lightness of her step； and the incomparable
nobility of her